Belated Love by lovealice
by FilthyRoseward and Co
Summary: "I am not the kind of girl, who should be rudely barging in on a white veil occasion, but you are not the kind of boy, who should be marrying the wrong girl."


**Title of One-Shot: **Belated Love

**AH or AU:** AH/AU

**POV: **Rosalie

**Rating: **M

**Word Count: **4438

**Summary:** "I am not the kind of girl, who should be rudely barging in on a white veil occasion, but you are not the kind of boy, who should be marrying the wrong girl."

**This one-shot is being posted in participation with the above mentioned contest hosted by FilthyRoseward & Co. Please see the contest profile for full details. http: / / w w w . fanfiction. net/u/2529769/**

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**Belated Love by lovealice**

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xXx

I flipped through the stuffed scrapbook for the last time, skimming through photos of a blonde haired girl with a bronze haired boy by her side in every shot. On a page labeled 'Kindergarten' the two kids stood on the steps, backpacks on, arms around each other, smiling at the camera. I flipped to another page labeled 'Halloween' and the two kids, a bit older, were dressed in similar Mario and Luigi costumes, arms around each other, and smiling at the camera. I skipped a few more pages to one labeled 'Freshmen Year' and the two kids were grown, making silly faces, arms around each other, and smiling at the camera. A girl with short dark hair started appearing in the photos with them throughout the high school pages. The scrapbook stopped after that. It was full, stuffed with great memories…some of the best memories. Those were better times.

I checked my watch, shocked at how long I had been sitting there looking through the book. _It was time_. I closed the scrapbook, grazing my hand over the cover titled, 'Edward and I…plus Alice.' I put the book back in a box, next to the empty scrapbook I had meant to start when we got in college. Things had happened and it was a painful time for me, _and Edward_. I'd rather not document those memories.

Looking in the mirror, I tidied my dress and perfected my curls for the hundredth time. I was beyond nervous. It's not every day that you crash a wedding, especially your best friend's wedding. Edward and I were best friends for as long as I could remember. Our parents were friends, as well, who had had kids at the same time and so they kind of threw us together. We were two peas in a pod, naturally.

Inseparable as kids, we got our first Nintendo 64 and spent our days after school playing it. He was always Mario and I was Luigi. We built tents in each other rooms and went on adventures in our backyards. I was quite the tomboy growing up, but when high school hit us I started wearing makeup and carrying a purse, and I think Edward realized I was actually a girl. He started spending more time with the guys, and that's when I found Alice. She was full of spunk and I loved her. It was her who made me realized how good looking Edward was and it was her who put the idea in my head to claim him, because apparently a lot of girls had their eyes on him and that didn't flow well with me.

We were each other's first for everything. First kiss in 9th grade, first relationship in 10th grade that lead to our first_ time _in 11th grade. It was pure experimentation though. Awkward, uncomfortable, and short. We only tried it three times. Our relationship ended after that and we went back to being best friends. The pressure of being in a relationship strained our friendship and we decided it was best to end that phase in our young lives. Edward went on to date other girls, and I just had to accept that he would, so I went on and date other guys. We never talked to each other about our relationships.

I pulled up to the church, sitting in my car for a few more minutes. This was going to be harder than I thought. Edward didn't know I was coming, and neither did anyone else besides my parents. I had disappeared a month ago, left Edward right when he probably needed me the most. As much as I hated this, he was my best friend and this was an important day for him. That's probably very hypocritical of me to say considering I came to crash his wedding, but it was all very necessary in my mind. I had some things I had to get off my chest, and Edward couldn't marry _her_. I wouldn't allow it. It would kill me. And if my plan didn't work and he still ended up marrying her, I don't think we could be friends anymore. I didn't want to see them grow together and have kids. The thought nauseated me.

Finally building up the courage, I stepped out the car and resumed to the Rosalie everyone knew. Confident walking, head up, and annoyingly beautiful. I smiled at familiar faces making my way into the church, carefully avoiding any conversation. Once inside I made my way through the back halls looking for the bride's dressing room. It wasn't hard to find. I heard _her_ yelling at some bridesmaid to find her bouquet. I stood outside the door, trying not to be seen by _her_. Alice spotted me and wove her way through the mess of bridesmaids and their junk, and closed the door when she finally reached me.

"Rosalie! You came!" Alice squeezed me in a big hug. I realized how much I missed this girl. During the month I was gone I had avoided everyone, even Alice. She would have been busy with the last minute wedding plans, and I didn't need to hear about that.

"I've missed you," I squeezed her back. When I let her go I saw that she was trying to hold in tears. Poor Alice, had I really hurt her feeling by leaving? "Please don't cry."

"I'm not," She looked up to the ceiling, so the tears wouldn't flow down. "I just never imagined I'd see you again. I really thought you were gone for good, Rose. When you didn't return the phone calls or texts, I went to Edward for answers and he didn't tell me anything. So I just assumed something had happened between you two because he became all moody whenever I tried to bring up the subject, and you had left, and considering the history between you two…well something big happened."

So Edward hadn't told anyone, and he was upset…because I had left, or because of what happened? I wasn't sure, but I hoped both were the reason for his turmoil.

"Does he know you're here? Surely Tanya doesn't know you're here. I mean if she did, she'd flip shit and kick you out," Alice joked, but we both knew that was no lie. Tanya was the "perfect" bride, I guess. Not perfect for Edward though. She hated me for obvious reasons. Edward and I had a history dating back to when we were babies, and out of all memories we shared, he had to tell her the worse one.

xXx

Edward and I had just started college. We were 18, carefree, drunk, and horny. We were at some Halloween party, dressed as Fred and Daphne from Scooby Doo. He always accompanied to any college party I went to, claiming that he would protect me from any Frat boys. I didn't mind him being with me, but this party was different.

Maybe it was from the all the alcohol I had consumed that night, but I had this brilliant idea. He had walked me back to my dorm room as usual. When I saw my roommate wasn't there I took the opportunity and invited Edward in. I skipped the small talk and went right for him. Pulling him against me, kissing and sucking on his lips. Maybe he had had a little too much to drink too, because he didn't resist my advancements. This was turning more from a silly idea, to real feelings being expressed. Our clothes were off, our bodies pressed together and moving in unison. This was far more than just the experimentation we had tried a few years prior. Edward had improved as did I, but this I think the main difference was the pure emotion we poured into moment.

That morning I woke up, with a terrible headache, my roommate never came back, and I was lying in my bed with Edward curled next me, both us still naked. Flashes of the night before started coming back to me as I tried to remember what had happened. I had gotten out of bed and threw some clothes on. When he had woken up, I had watched his face go from confusion, to shock, and then when he looked at me, with embarrassment, maybe. His face had flushed red.

We had gone out for breakfast that morning, him still in his costume, and things continued like last night never happened. Although it did happen, and so did the consequences of unprotected sex.

About three months I started putting the puzzle pieces together. I had been "sick" for awhile; I looked a little "bloated." I remember that night I was on the phone with Alice. She had gone out of state for college. I was crying on the bathroom floor, pregnancy test in hand and Alice was trying to calm me down.

"I'm so stupid! So fucking stupid!" I sobbed some more. "I can't have a baby now. I'm only 18! What am I suppose to do?" I sobbed some more. I always loved kids; wanted a family, but that was when I was at least was out of school and could support a family. I was still practically a _child_.

"Rosalie, you're not alone in this. It's Edward's baby too, right? You need to tell him."

"What if he tells me he doesn't want it? To abort? I can't do that Alice. I won't. This is going to ruin everything. He's going to hate me!" I broke out in hysterics.

"I highly doubt that. This is Edward we're talking about. He would never hate you. Just sleep on it okay?" She assured me over and over again till I finally fell asleep that night.

The next day I was feeling better about the situation. I had called Edward and forgotten it was the beginning of February, and he was away for a lacrosse game. I waited another day and asked him out for dinner when he returned.

When dinner was over I felt I had lost all the confidence to tell him. We needed to get away from people. That would help me. So we took a walk around campus.

"Do you remember that night after the Halloween party?" I started to say. He nodded, not sure where I was going with this and neither was I. We never talked about that night. I thought about how I should phrase the next part. There was really no ways to soften it, might as well say it as it is. "Edward, I'm pregnant."

He stopped walking and I watched him think it through. He didn't move for what felt like forever and I felt he would run away any second.

"Ok," He said. It was killing me to know what he was thinking.

"Ok?"

"Yeah. I mean this changes things, but I think we can manage. I'll be there for you every step of the way, Rosalie. I'm just as responsible for this."

I hugged him and tears began to uncontrollably fall down my face. I think it was then that I realized how much I truly loved Edward…the father of my baby, _our_ baby. During the next month we spent more time together. I was starting to show, and I remember the first time I let Edward run his hands over my small, bare, protruding tummy. He was mesmerized, and so was I as I watched him.

"Our baby," He smiled, and surprisingly he kissed the spot. I could tell he was already falling in love with the thought of having a baby. I wasn't sure what our relationship was anymore. My best friend? My boyfriend? The father of our baby? We had something going on, and I felt closer to him then I've ever been.

One weekend we returned home to tell the news to our parents. They were surprised and maybe angry with us, as any parent should when they're teenager ends up pregnant.

The fifth month of my pregnancy, we started getting serious and talking about finding an apartment by the college and moving in together. He started looking for a job and by now it was official that we were in some kind of relationship brought together by our baby.

I had put off knowing the sex of our baby till now. Edward was coming along with me to my next appointment so we could find out together. Instead of getting some good news whether we'd be having a girl or boy, we got terribly awful news. The baby had no heartbeat.

It took awhile for the information to process in my mind as I sat in the doctor's office and I watched him deliver the news to us. My baby was gone before I even got to meet it. The tears started to flow down my cheeks, and I felt Edward's arm wrap around me. I sobbed uncontrollably into his shoulder, soaking up his shirt. I clutched onto my stomach, realizing baby was gone; no longer there. I already loved it so much.

Edward drove me back to my dorm, holding my hand with one and driving with the other. He didn't cry, but I could see the distress in his face. He had loved the baby already as well.

When we got back to my dorm, he laid me down and tucked me into bed. I was still uncontrollably sobbing and I asked him to stay with me. He came and climbed into the covers with me.

"I really wanted that baby," He said. I could tell he was trying to be brave and hold in the tears through his glossy eyes.

"It's okay to cry Edward. I knew you really loved it," I wiped a tear at the corner of his eye, and when he blinked more came flowing down. We mourned together, lying in bed, holding each other till our bodies ceased shaking and sniffling and we fell asleep.

It took months, years till we fully healed from that. I don't think I could have done it without him. He was there whenever I needed a shoulder to cry on, someone to talk to. And I did my best to be there for him.

xXx

I could understand why he would tell her that. I mean we practically, almost had a child together. That was why she hated me. She looked at me like some ex-girlfriend of Edwards, and she was obviously jealous of my looks and my bond with him.

I took a seat in the back far corner, on Edward's side, so I wouldn't be spotted. I looked to the altar and spotted Edward. My heart sank. He was dressed in his suit, eyes looking down at the floor. He had no idea I was there. I was one of the first people he invited, and Tanya had immediately uninvited me. I didn't mind being uninvited. I couldn't stand seeing her marry Edward anyways. I would have puked on the pews. But today I didn't come here to see them marry; I came here for quite the opposite actually.

Music began to play and I watched the procession down the aisle. Most of the bridesmaids I didn't know. I noticed Jasper, Alice's boyfriend with an unknown bridesmaid. Then, lastly Alice and Emmett, the maid of honor and the best man. Alice and Tanya weren't particularly the best of friends, but I suspected she chose Alice because she was reliable. It was surprising, thinking back to how Emmett and Edward became friends, that now he was Edward's best man.

I had dated Emmett right when I got out of college. I hadn't been in another serious relationship since the one I had with Edward. When I introduced the boyfriend to the _boy_ friend, it was awkward. Edward had told me he didn't like Emmett, or rather didn't want me to date him. I trusted Emmett though. He may seem like a beast on the outside, but inside he was really a good guy. Just as our relationship was getting serious, Edward met Tanya. She was almost my mirror, beautiful, strawberry blonde hair, and a figure of a model. I could see why he picked _her_. Tanya had Edward wrapped around her finger in no time. He couldn't see it, but I surely did.

My relationship with Emmett only lasted a year and Edward and him became the best of friends. Emmett was everything to me, but not enough. He wasn't Edward. Edward and Tanya, however, remained strong and here they were getting married today.

As the music switched tempo I turned around to see Tanya walk down the aisle, accompanied by her father. Her white dress, tight fitting, and her fake smile. _So plastic_. I wondered if people viewed me liked that, just so nauseatingly perfect on the surface. I looked back towards the altar at Edward. He was smiling, somewhat. _Second thoughts_? I imagined he was thinking of me coming down that altar. He didn't love Tanya…he loved me. It _should_ be me walking down to marry him.

My moment was coming up. My last chance at getting Edward back. My _only_ chance. He was making the biggest mistake of his life and I couldn't bear to see him go through with it. I shouldn't have run away. I should have been here. He needed that extra push to break free from Tanya's grip.

"Speak now or forever hold your peace," I heard the priest mumble and I panicked.

Now or never.

xXx

_A month ago:_

It was a Friday night. Tanya was out with her friends, and Edward invited me over. I never came over when Tanya was there. We had a mutual hate. So whenever she wasn't around Edward took the opportunity to hang out with me.

We were watching TV, eating junk food on the couch, my legs lying across his lap. Just like good old times. This was the Edward I knew, not the _engaged_ Edward.

"Why are you marrying her?" I popped the question nonchalantly.

"I love her," He automatically responded.

"Well duh! But _why_?" I pressured further.

"You can't ask someone why they love someone."

"Yes you can. Especially if they plan to spend eternity together," I stuck my tongue out at him. "It's easy. Here, let's take you for example. I love you Edward because of you have great hair. You know me more than anyone else. I'd trust you with anything, and through all the shit we've been through, you're still here. My best friend," I smiled at him. It was all the truth. I did love him, but more like _in_ love with him. "Now _do_ me."

He rolled his eyes at my innuendo and asked, "Can I have the remote?"

"No not till you say why you love me," I joked and held the remote in the opposite direction from him. He smirked at me, as he started to crawl across the couch. He started pinning me down, as I struggled to keep the remote away from his hands. I threw the remote across the room, catching him off guard as he watched it land away from us. I took the opportunity to get from under his grip to turn him over to straddle his hip and pin his hands above his head. "Ha! Gotcha. Now answer my question. This should be easy. It's just me."

He looked at me for a second, knowing I wouldn't let him go without an answer. "Fine…so I love you, Rosalie because you have great hair," He mimicked me. "You know me more than anyone else. I know how to make you laugh. You're the only one who's ever seen me cry and I think you'd make a great mother someday…you're my best friend." His last words hurt me. It brought back those painful memories of him crying, me crying, and then the memories before that, when he used to rub my small protruding belly and we talked about moving in together, making us a family.

My eyes started getting watery, and I released one of his hands to wipe away any tears before they made it down my cheek.

"I'm sorry Rose…I didn't mean…" He said as he sat us up and petted my hair. I couldn't stop myself, and now tears were steadily coming down. I felt so pathetic. It wasn't just the fact that he told me I'd make a great mother…it was _everything_. "Rose…" He wiped some tears off my face and I managed to try and smile.

"Edward," I paused and collected myself. "It's just…I _love_ you. I'm _in_ love with you. I have been ever since I found out I was pregnant with your baby and you promised to be there for me. I may have been in love with you even before that, but that made me realize just how much I love you. It made me realize I wanted to have that baby with you, get married, and possibly have more kids with you."

"Why are you telling me this now?"

"Gosh, I don't know Edward. Maybe I'm trying to fucking tell you I don't want you to get married to _her_! You love her, but I know…I _know_ you love me more. We belong together and you know it. Just admit it."

He looked at me and thought about it for what felt like forever. _I was wrong_. I thought and I was worried that I had ruined everything. _He doesn't feel the same way_. How could I have been so stupid to assume his feelings for me?

"I do love you Rose. More than I probably should, considering my situation now. But I've always loved you. I was always waiting for you to tell me you felt the same way and you chose now to do it," He smirked and continued, "That baby…I wanted it so bad, and I planned to raise it with you, marry you someday, and have more kids with you. Rose…I wanted the same things too. I always thought we belonged together." He caressed my cheek and kissed me on the lips.

"Don't marry her. Say no, run away with me," I kissed him back.

"Ok."

"Ok?"

"Yeah."

For the first time Edward and I made love. We weren't drunk or curious teenagers. We were just Edward and Rosalie. He loved me. He had _always_ loved me. The way our bare bodies pressed against each other was proof of how much we belonged together. He felt like home.

The next day I took off. I left him right when he finally admitted he loved me. I was scared and I didn't know how to cope, so I just left. I wasn't so brave when it came to Edward and my emotions. They didn't go well together. I left everything "Forks" related behind for good, but then I got a call from my parents telling me the wedding was still on. I came back unannounced. I couldn't believe after what he told me, he was still going to marry _her_. He was only going through with it because I wasn't there and I might have never come back…

xXx

"_Speak now or forever hold your peace," I heard the priest mumble and I panicked._

He was just about to go on, because no one ever objects. This would be a first for sure.

"Edward wait!" I stood up and yelled. All eyes turned to me, and I kept my eyes on Edward, now looking at me with surprise, shock, relief? I wasn't sure. No one said anything, expecting me to continue. I was shaking nervously. I didn't know if I could get the next words out, but I tried. "Edward, you're marrying the wrong girl. You promised me…" I trailed off. This suddenly felt like a silly idea. I felt Tanya's glare on me, I could see Alice smiling, and Edward just stood there.

This was a terrible idea. Everybody probably thinks I'm crazy. I ran out of the church horrified to look back. I was out of my mind to think this would work.

When I got to my car, I banged my head back on the seat several times. I was upset at myself. Everything was my fault. If I had told Edward I loved him a long time ago, when I should have, I wouldn't be here. He wouldn't be getting married. This was my fault. I brought it all upon myself.

I sat in my car crying, when a knock came from the passenger window. I wiped my eyes so I was able to see who it was.

"Go away," I yelled at Edward, but yet I unlocked the doors, and he sat down inside. "Go back to your _wife_," I shot at him.

"I'm not marrying her Rose. I don't know what you were thinking, but thank god you came back. I thought you were gone for good…and I just didn't think. I'm so sorry," He reached out to take my hand, but I snatched it away.

"You were going to marry her if I hadn't come!"

"No. I planned on calling it off when it was time to say my vows. I wasn't going to marry her, I promise. I had hoped you'd shown up and we'd run away, like you said, before the wedding started…but I never saw you. I wasn't lying Rosalie."

His words sank in slowly. I was still upset, but he said he wasn't going to marry her. I should be jumping for joy. "I'm sorry too Edward. For everything…" I reached over to hug him, and that seemed to settle me.

If Tanya hated me before, she sure as hell loathed me now. But it doesn't matter what she thinks. She disappeared after that. Edward and I were inseparable again, just like the good times. Shockingly, a few months later I found out I was pregnant. I was terrified, but Edward kept reassuring me everything was going to be fine. And everything did go fine. I gave birth to a beautiful bronze hair baby girl with the biggest blue eyes. _Natalie Cullen_. Edward was there every step of the way; he was a terrific father. Two years later we had a gorgeous wedding, with our adorable daughter as the flower girl. Another year after, we brought another baby girl into the world. She looked exactly like her father. _Hannah Cullen_. My family became my everything, and I loved them all, _so_ much.

We were thankful to get the happily ever after that only existed in fairy tales.


End file.
